BBC News - Panorama - The hunt for healthy food for children

BBC News - Panorama - The hunt for healthy food for children

Great expose of kiddie food guru Annabel Karmel and manufacturers duping parents on child nutrition.

Was very interested in Cow & Gates response in their defense of the high sugar (Lactose) follow on milk. They said that children's high protein diets have been shown to be linked to obesity in later life.

WHAT?

We searched for the research. What the research actually reveals is that high meat and cheese diets lead to increased risk of obesity. The research certainly doesn't justify replacing saturated animal fat with sugar as a route to health. This is unforgivably misleading and irresponsible BAD SCIENCE - Dr Ben Goldacre? where are you when there's a REAL crime being committed???


Early protein intake and later obesity risk

Anke LB Günther, Thomas Remer, Anja Kroke and Anette E Buyken

¹ From the Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Affiliated Institute of the University of Bonn, Dortmund, Germany (ALBG, AEB, and TR), and the Department of Nutrition, Food and Consumer Sciences, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Fulda, Germany (AK)

Results: The ages of 12 mo and 5-6 y were identified as critical ages at which higher total and animal, but not vegetable, protein intakes were positively related to later body fatness. In fully adjusted models, animal protein intake at 12 mo was associated with BF% at 7 y as follows [x (95% CI) BF%]: T1, 16.20 (15.23, 17.25); T2, 17.21 (16.24, 18.23); T3, 18.21 (17.12, 19.15); P for trend = 0.008. With respect to food groups, dairy, but not meat or cereal protein intake, at 12 mo was related to BF% at 7 y (P for trend = 0.07). Animal protein at 5-6 y yielded similar results (P for trend = 0.01), but food group associations were less consistent.

Conclusion: A higher animal, especially dairy, protein intake at 12 mo may be associated with an unfavorable body composition at 7 y. The age of 5-6 y might represent another critical period of protein intake for later obesity risk.

For independent expert advice on healthy children's diet please seek a qualified, professional and experienced nutritionist such as Yvonne Bishop-Weston at Foods for Life